BRUNSWICK, Maine — A company based out of Brunswick is planning to begin launching suborbital rockets into space in 2025.
Recently, bluShift Aerospace secured more than $2 million to help create suborbital launch services, accelerating its services in the satellite services market.
CEO and Founder Sacha Deri said once bluShift is solidified in the suborbital market, he plans to expand and transition into orbital services, eventually sending satellites into orbit around the Earth.
"I think little by little we are beating expectations," Deri said. "Early days, we had a lot of people [who] couldn’t believe that one, there was a rocket company in Maine. [And] two, a lot of people couldn’t believe that you can actually use biofuel that’s even non-toxic."
Making history in 2021, bluShift launched the world's first commercial rocket powered by carbon-neutral biofuel.
The company is currently preparing to test the rocket engine for a full-duration 60-second burn in the coming months to get ready for its first suborbital launch next year.
The company is offering its suborbital services to customers, like researchers and students, who want to briefly launch devices and technology into space to test its practicality.
“There's a real need for this before they put these devices into orbit or maybe on the moon," he said. “We have other customers who want to test out small propulsion systems for satellites, another customer who’s interested in sending the ashes of loved ones or their pets up into space."
Deri said once the company gets its suborbital services operating, he would like to expand its test facility and expand its market to launch orbital services and satellites around earth.